HEADLINE NEWS

Emery Center Status as of December 21, 2001

As a supporter of the effort to restore the Emery, we want to bring you up to date on our progress. Our long-range goal remains an $18 million renovation to upgrade the Emery with up-to-date theater equipment and HVAC systems, dressing rooms, rehearsal space, expanded lobby, and a deeper stage and orchestra pit to enable full-scale productions, such as the Cincinnati Opera.

in order to reach this goal, the non-profit Emery Center Corporation (ECC) has adopted a phased approach. Phase 1, a $1 million exterior restoration, is complete. Phase 11, estimated at $4.5 million, will provide an up-to-date theater with 700 seats at the orchestra level. The ECC plans to complete Phase 11 by the end of 2004. Future phases will expand the stage and create a new lobby.

Over $650,000 in stabilization work on the theater was completed this year, including a sprinkler system, a new boiler, abatement and removal of the old boiler stack from the stage. This work was made possible by the University of Cincinnati, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and private donors.

The ECC is now raising funds for Phase 11. To achieve the $4.5 million goal, the ECC envisions a public-private partnership, including $1 million in state funds, $.5 million in city funds, nearly $1 million in historic tax credit financing, and the remaining $2 million from private corporations, foundations and individuals.

All 59 apartments in the contiguous former OMI-College of Applied Science Building are occupied except one. In the future, the apartments will contribute $50,000 per year in revenue for the theater.

As a supporter of the arts, you understand that Cincinnati needs a mid-sized theatre, like every other city with a well-rounded arts program. Music Hall and the Aronoff's Procter & Gamble Hall are too big and Memorial Hall and Jarson Kaplan Theater are too small for many groups. The Emery Theatre will fill that niche and benefit the entire region.